How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Stay on Your Record?
Getting speeding tickets on your record can be scary. It can increase your insurance premium and it can lead to court appearances as well. But how long does a speeding ticket stay on your record?
Knowing information like this is vital, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know in this short guide.
Table of Contents
How Long a Speeding Ticket Stays on Your Record
Insurance Companies
Each car insurance company has a different policy when it comes to how far back they look at a member’s driving record. Some companies go back up to seven years looking for accidents and moving violations. On the upside, if you’ve gone a certain amount of time without any tickets or accidents in your record, these companies will most likely give you some sort of discount.
To find out for sure, you should make a point of calling up your insurance company to get these details. You might even qualify for a discount and not even know it. If nothing else, it’s always good to know how far back they look at your record.
While an insurance company cannot revoke your license due to a speeding ticket, it can refuse to renew your policy. This is usually only in the case of people who already have a lot of tickets on their driving record. If this is something you are concerned about, you should check your record immediately.
An insurance company is fully within its rights to cancel your policy, so you need to keep that in mind as well. They don’t have to give you any warning either, so it can happen very suddenly. If this does happen though, your insurance company will most likely send you a letter.
The best thing to do if you have recently received a speeding ticket is to immediately call your insurance company. You might be able to increase the deductible for your policy so you don’t pay quite as much on a monthly basis.
Just keep in mind that you will have to pay more in the event that you ever need to file a claim. This might be a risk worth taking, depending on your particular situation. While your insurer might not be willing to do this, you should at least give it a try.
One more thing to note is that the faster you were going over the speed limit when you got your ticket, the more you can expect to pay with your insurance. As such, if you got a ticket for five miles per hour over the limit, your rate might not increase at all.
You can see the average fines of speeding tickets per state here.
Nature of the Ticket
One of the biggest factors in determining how long a traffic ticket stays on your record is the nature of the violation. For example, speeding at five miles per hour over the speed limit might not stay on your record as long as a ticket for 10 or 15 miles per hour over. On the other hand, more serious charges like DUIs stay on a person’s driving record for at least 10 years.
Where You Live
The state that you live in is also something to consider when it comes to how long a speeding ticket stays on your record. Some states only keep tickets on a person’s record for three years, while others clear them after seven years. You should be able to get this information fairly easily by simply looking at your state’s official government website.
Points vs. Your Driving Record
It’s also important to keep in mind that there is usually a difference between how long a ticket stays on your record versus how long points stay. The points that you get from a speeding ticket usually go away long before the actual citation is removed from your driving record.
A lot of insurance companies look at the number of points a driver has on their record, as opposed to the total number of tickets. This is something that varies depending on the company though. To be on the safe side, you’ll want to look into this as well.
There are only a handful of states that do not use the points system, including Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wyoming. Action can be taken against your license if you accumulate a certain number of points within a specific period of time, just another thing to keep in mind.
Some states like Arkansas or New Jersey can choose to take action against your license regardless of the time period, provided you have a certain number of points. For New York Speeding details, click this.
Check Your Driving Record
If you have just received a speeding ticket, it’s a good idea to take a look at your driving record. Some states do not include every ticket a person has ever gotten on these records. There’s a chance that you’ll only see some of the violations you have received. For instance, you might not see violations that have been dismissed because you went to court or if you succeeded in getting out of a speeding ticket.
In order to get a full and complete record of your driving record, you need to request a copy from the department of motor vehicles in your state. You will be asked to provide proof of a driver’s license, and you may also have to pay a fee. This doesn’t cost much, considering the value of the information you’ll get.
Once you get your driving record, take the time to carefully look through it. If you notice any errors or mistakes, you should report them to your state’s department of motor vehicles right away. This will ensure that you get them cleared up as soon as possible, though it might take a while depending on the circumstances.
Anyone will be able to get a copy of their own driving record, regardless if you no longer have a valid license or insurance. A word of caution, though: avoid trying to get this information through any third party websites, as they are not legitimate. You should only go through the official department of motor vehicle websites. Make sure that the site has a “.gov” extension in the URL before proceeding.
Reducing Points on Your Driving Record
It’s always a good idea to do everything in your power to reduce the number of points on your driving record. There are a number of ways that you can do this, so it’s important to examine your options.
Many states will allow you to reduce the number of points on your license by taking a driving safety course. This doesn’t usually last long and can significantly lower your points. This, in turn, can help you save a fairly substantial amount of money on your car insurance premiums.
Take the time to see which classes are available in your area. It’s highly likely that you’ll find a website with class schedule information as well as any fees you might be required to pay. While this is something that you will have to take some time to do, it might be worth it. And if you have a lot of points on your license or if you’re close to having your license revoked, classes are worth considering.
How to Keep Points Off Your License
If you have received a traffic citation for speeding, you can also challenge it in court. You will most likely be able to get the points removed, though you might have to pay more.
All you have to do is just go to court as opposed to pleading guilty (paying the ticket right away). While you will still have to pay something, you won’t get the points. Most people just accept their ticket and pay for it immediately, but this is a huge mistake.
Most courts are willing to take points off a person’s ticket if they accept a higher fee. This might not exactly be pleasant, but it’s better than having more points on your record. You will have a certain amount of time from when you are given the ticket to decide. Make sure that you make a decision before this period expires.
Final Thoughts
The points that come with a speeding ticket are no joke, so it’s not something you should take lightly. If you have recently been given a ticket (especially if it’s your first ticket), you need to keep all of these things in mind. The amount of time that a speeding ticket will stay on your record depends on numerous factors as well. To make things easier, you should be able to get the details you need from your state’s official government website.
For tips on how you can fight your way out of a speeding ticket, proceed to this guide: https://www.ratedradardetector.org/ticket/speeding/how-to-fight/.
William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDetector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.
